All Quiet Underground As Subway Prices Go Up

[george]

All quiet underground as subway prices go up

BANGKOK: -- Fears that the end of promotional pricing on Bangkok's new underground train line would see a sudden drop in passenger numbers were confirmed today, as passengers spurned the subway on the first day of the new pricing regime.

The message from the public could not have been clearer: flat fares of Bt10 were acceptable, while the new fare structure, with an initial price of Bt12 plus Bt2 for each additional station, were not.

The sudden drop in passenger numbers was particularly noticeable in business districts such as Silom, which had been packed with passengers prior to the fare hike.

While stressing that many people were taking extended leave from work following the national holiday yesterday, Mr. Prapat Chongsa-nguan, the Governor of the Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA), warned that passenger numbers were likely to plummet by as much as 20 percent as a result of the new pricing regime.

He urged the public to put pressure on the government to purchase back the concessions for Bangkok's elevated skytrain project and the subway line, saying that the government would be able to maintain ticket prices at a flat Bt20, while also introducing capital-wide tickets which could be used on a variety of forms of public transport.

Before the fare hike, the new subway saw an average of 250,000 passengers a day.

--TNA 2004-08-13

[ovenman]

One had to assume that the expiration of the promotional flat ten baht fare would clear most of the normal bus riders out of the subway, but on the whole I think the regualr subway fare structure seems in-line with that of the SkyTrain and the latter is normally packed to the gills anymore.

[p_brownstone]

I sincerely hope that the concessions for the Skytrain and the Undertground are not bought out by the Government and given to incompetents like the BMA - or any other Government agency - to run.

If that happens it will not be long before the whole system degenerates into something similar to Bangkok's bus service - which is badly run, owes hundreds of millions of Baht to PTT for fuel, runs badly maintained vehicles responsible for much of the pollution and traffic jams and employs so many inconsiderate, ill-trained staff.

[astral]

Now is the time to set up an integrated transport policy, one ticket for bus, skytrain and underground, like Singapore

[PlanetMan]

Now is the time to set up an integrated transport policy, one ticket for bus, skytrain and underground,  like Singapore

Like Singapore, Hongkong and most other modern, decently governed countries.

[SeaVisionBurma]

Quite - the Octopus card system in Hong Kong is light years ahead of most other countries, seamless travel between buses, subway, ferries, trams - you can even swipe it to buy a can of soft drink.

Can't see Bangkok getting the idea of seamless ticketing together in a hurry - still, the fantasy is nice.

[Doi Thong]

I finally enjoyed the underground today..I think 70% less passengers is riding now...:-)

[kenk3z]

Will I need to deal with a lot of 1-baht coins to ride the subway? It looks to me from what I can find out by Internet that you pay for each trip as you go - no such thing as a "fare card" to hold value. Is that right? No way to buy a 100-baht card and ride till it runs out?

kenk3z

[possom]

simply too expensive for ordinary people . the skytrain is busy because of the area it serves . when further subway lines are opened that serve more ordinary neighbourhoods ,how will they get people to use it ?? certainly not with expensive fares . i thought the idea was to reduce traffic ,not to provide a fast clean alternative for wealthier folk . it would be interesting to know how much revenue they are now getting daily ,as opposed to the 10 baht days .

[Highwayman]

No way to buy a 100-baht card and ride till it runs out?

I purchased a 300 baht card (includes 50 baht deposit), just open my wallet and pass it over the sensor. Beats having to buy a token every time.

[drummer]

So many things get improved when peope can actually move around the city. Aside from air pollution, I'd wager that business would see a benefit from a good cheap transit system. You're gonna get better workers because the employee pool is gonna be a lot larger, too.

Plus the cost of dealing with traffic accidents, police not being about to get around as easily to deal with emergencies, etc.

Besides

1 (from 100% ridership) * 10 THB = 10

.3 (from 30% ridership) * 20 THB = 6

10 is more than 6.